Mobile charity giving sends over $1 million to Haiti

There is one unlikely hero among the devastation in Haiti. The cell phone. All conventional lines of communication are lost. It was the cell phones that allowed the people of Haiti to convey their desperate state. And it could be the cell phone that brings them the much needed support to get back on track.

In the U.S. on Wednesday Verizon Wireless customers and their competitors in will have donated in excess of $1 million to the Red Cross relief effort for Haiti — make directly on their cell phones. Jeffrey Nelson, Verizon Wireless spokesman, who called it “the biggest day in the history of mobile giving in the U.S.”

mGive Foundation is organizing the mobile giving effort. To donate to Red Cross for example, text the word “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10,” when prompted, hit “YES”; this will confirm the donation. The donation will then be added to the cell user’s bill; receipts will be available at mGive’s Web site.

Yele Haiti foundation, started by Wyclef Jean, a member of the Fugees musical group, is urging people to help by donating to the Yele charity, a text-message to 501501 to make a contribution.

Let’s just all hope it actually makes it to them in a timely manner, unlike the hurricane Katrina funds did.